You will be allowed to DEMAND a four-day week from your employer under new Labour plans
UNDER new Labour plans set to be pushed through parliament this autumn employees will be able to demand a four-day week.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, with the backing of PM Sir Keir Starmer, insists the new way of living would be "good for the economy".
While a shorter working week sounds great, to receive full pay you are still expected to work your contracted hours.
However, “compressed hours”, which lets an employee work their contracted weekly hours in four days instead of five, will also be part of a new rights for workers package, reports .
Further details are expected in mid-October as the proposal is pushed through Parliament.
Starmer said it will be the "biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation".
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In the legislation, Labour has also pledged to revoke some anti-trade union laws.
The use of zero-hours contracts will also be restricted and flexible working arrangements are set to be expanded.
Since April, workers have had the right to ask for flexible working but firms do not have to agree.
It comes a year after some companies introduced the "breakthrough" of a four-day week.
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Firms found it to boost productivity within their team and that it attracted the best talent when hiring.
In February 2023, 18 UK companies made the change permanent following the world's biggest trial of four-day working.
The trial saw 61 companies across a variety of sectors in the UK commit to reducing their working hours for all staff by 20 per cent, for six months from June 2022.
But for Mark Roderick’s engineering and industrial supplies company Allcap, trialling it out didn't work.
He said: “As opposed to 10 normal workdays, we found that employees would have nine extreme ones – once they got to their scheduled day off they were exhausted.
"Once we factored in holidays, sickness and caring responsibilities, we also struggled to find cover for an employee on their rest day."
And last month, Asda dropped its four-day week for employees.
The high street supermarket chain introduced a flexible working scheme last year, which allowed managers to work a 44-hour week over four days, without losing any pay.
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But the system has been ditched after workers claimed the 11-hour shifts were too “physically demanding” and left them worn out on the extra day they were not at work.
Employees also said they struggled to cope with the early starts and late finishes.